Graduation
by FLUFF-N-UTTER-1
Summary: Newlyweds, Abby and Connor take his Mum to see his little sister graduate. We see a little more of their past... and future plans... and parenthood. (starts 7.1 moves to 8.5 concludes at 9.3)
1. Commencement

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

7.1

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After their wedding, Abby and Connor hadn't had time for a lengthy honeymoon.

The ARC was continually shorthanded and the whole planet was still reeling from the impact of convergence. Anomalies had loosed creatures all over the world. Retrieval of these creatures was still ongoing, as well as dealing with any new anomalies that opened. Abby and Connor had considered themselves lucky to have been able to take the weekend off when they married. Even now, six months later, the ARC was still short handed and for the two of them to take even one extra day off was a real treat.

After breakfast and the morning traffic died down, they began a leisurely drive up to where Connor's Mum lived. Half way there, Abby and Connor stopped at The Heritage National Forest, a recreational wilderness preserve. It wouldn't do to show up too early to pick up Connor's Mum as she couldn't leave until she finished her work at the bank.

Abby parked the car and then pulled the lever to pop the boot. Connor was quickly out. He headed to the rear of the car and grabbed a rucksack out of the compartment.

"Where are we going," asked Abby.

"You'll see," replied Connor with a smile. Pointing at the painted markers on the trees, Connor added "We'll follow the blue trail."

"We're going hiking with your ankle?" Abby asked in surprise.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Three weeks after their wedding, Connor had been in the field despite the Lester's orders that he work on research only. The Bravo team needed help to lock an anomaly. The incursion of didelphodons had not been as dangerous as something like an incursion of raptors, but even a small predator was something to be dispatched back to its own time as quickly as possible. In the teams attempts to herd the creatures all back through the anomaly, Connor had been knocked off his feet.

Abby had arrived at the anomaly site in time to see him fall. The didelphodons were panicked and racing back to the anomaly, three of Bravo team herding them with judicious shots from their EMDs. One of the creatures snarled and bolted in the direction of Connor and the anomaly locking device. Connor had stepped forward, determined to keep the creature away from the machine. The small badger like creature ran between Connor's feet, spinning him around before darting through the anomaly after the other creatures.

The fall would have been comical if it weren't for the expression of pain on Connor's face. An ambulance ride, x-rays, and soon Connor was scheduled for ankle surgery. Two pins in the ankle, six weeks on crutches, another six weeks with a cane and physical therapy, and Connor was allowed to resume his normal activities. Lester had been grumping about health and safety the entire time.

"Don't worry," said Connor knowingly "the blue trail is the easy one, the red trail's the real challenge. Besides, I brought a walking staff." Abby thought the staff looked a lot like Connor's lucky stick from years ago.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The morning's hike led them on a twisting, turning path. They clambered over boulders and around trees until they reached a rocky ledge overlooking the valley below. Abby gasped at the beauty. She could see for miles. They were high enough that the buildings and roadways in the distance appeared to melt into the landscape.

"Thought you would like this place," said Connor as he opened the rucksack. Turning to look at him, Abby watched as he spread out a picnic blanket and set out two boxed lunches. Except for their year in the cretaceous, Abby had spent most of her life living in the city.

"Yeah Connor," she said softly "this is beautiful."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

In between bites of sandwiches and crisps, they talked of their childhoods. Connor and his family had come to this park often. From their vantage point, Connor pointed out the camping area, the red trail and the bicycle trail. Abby listened as Connor told her that he and Duncan had camped here with theirs fathers as boys.

"Me Dad and I," continued Connor "we used to race on the bike trail." His eyes got a little misty, and Abby could tell he was lost in his memories. She leaned forward to kiss him.

"You taste like crisps," she said when they parted for a breath of air.

"You taste like cherries," said Connor as he leaned in for another kiss. She started to say something, but then a little chirping noise could be heard.

They both turned to look in the direction of the sound. A tiny little creature, its whiskers twitching nervously, was staring at them from beneath a large tree. They looked at each other.

"What is it?" asked Abby "it looks like Mr. Whiskers."

"It's not Mr. Whiskers," responded Connor "there's been no anomalies reported around here for months."

"Do you think he likes crisps?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The hike back down the trail to the parking area was quicker and they were soon back on the roadway. In a short while, they pulled into the parking lot of the bank. Abby parked the car and Connor went to look for his Mum.

It would only be another hour to drive to the university town where Connor's little sister went to school. They had hotel arrangements for the night, and were looking forward to seeing Beth graduate tomorrow.

Abby got out of the driver's seat to stretch. At that moment, Connor and his mother emerged from the bank. Connor was pulling his mother's roll along tote bag, which he soon stowed in the boot next to their overnight bag and the rucksack.

The petite, plump, woman greeted Abby politely. Connor's Mum had apologized to Abby for her unkind words when they first met, but Abby hadn't seen Connor's Mum since their wedding. Abby still felt a little uncomfortable around her. Connor opened the passenger door and held his mother's hand while she seated herself.

Abby made to hand the car keys to Connor, but he waved them away.

"No," he said as he scrunched into the tiny back seat "you drive, give you ladies some time to talk while I catch up on some reading." He plucked a file out of his messenger bag.

"You brought work?" asked Abby "We're supposed to be off this weekend."

"Just some reading," Connor replied "probably be done by the time we get there."

Abby climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. What on earth was she going to talk to Connor's Mum about?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	2. Photos and memories

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

_What on earth was she going to talk to Connor's Mum about?_

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby soon realized she didn't have to worry about making conversation. Connor's Mum kept making small talk while Abby drove. Abby doubted she would ever get to speak a word herself. The way the woman kept babbling on reminded Abby of Connor when he got nervous, but surely her mother-in-law wasn't nervous.

The older woman chattered about places of interest in the area, pointing out the soccer field where Connor and his friends had played, a dance studio where both Connor and his sister had taken lessons, the road that would take them to Duncan's parents should they wish to go see them.

Abby took a quick glance in the rear view mirror. Connor had his file spread out and was scribbling in a notebook. Her mother-in-law paused for a moment.

"Connor," said Abby returning her gaze to the road.

"Umm huh," mumbled Connor, not taking his eyes off the papers in his hands.

"Did you want to go see Duncan while we're up this way?" asked Abby.

"Can't," replied Connor "he's still at Central Met… taking classes through the summer session… trying to catch up you know."

"You'll probably see a lot of old friends tomorrow," said the elder Mrs. Temple "most of the students that continue on to university from around here go to Beth's school."

"Really," said Abby noncommittally. She had only met two of Connor's childhood friends, Duncan and Tom. Abby remembered seeing a crowd of people when Cutter had brought her to Tom's funeral, but her attention had been focused solely on Connor that day.

From the back seat, Abby heard Connor snort derisively.

"More likely we'll see a lot of Beth's old friends tomorrow," he said "not likely to see anyone I used to hang out with."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The hotel had messed up the reservations.

Instead of two rooms each with a double bed, they had one room with two double beds. The desk clerk apologized, but there really wasn't anything he could do. The place was booked solid what with graduation tomorrow.

"If you don't want the room," continued the clerk "I'll be glad to reverse the charges… I've got a wait list of people wanting rooms."

"No," replied Connor "we'll make do with the one room."

He turned to Abby. She had parked the car, and then got out so that Connor could climb out of the back seat. Rather than stand in the parking area or wait in the car with his mother, she had come in to the lobby with him.

"Right Abby," he said beseechingly "we can all stay together."

Abby thought about the sheer negligee she had packed for this trip. She wasn't going to wear that in front of Connor's Mum.

"Yeah Conn," she answered "but I'll need your robe."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The hotel room was nothing special, just ordinary hotel accommodations. It was neat, clean, and smelled faintly of disinfectant. Connor set their overnight bag on the folding luggage rack by the door, then put his messenger bag on the tiny table by the lamp. Moving further into the room, he wheeled his mother's roll along tote over to the dresser.

"I'll want to hang my dress," said the older woman as she took the case from Connor. Looking around the tiny room, she asked "Isn't there an iron in here?"

Abby heard a knocking on the door and turned to open it. Connor's little sister Beth stood there grinning at her. She stepped forward to wrap Abby in a warm hug.

"Good to see you Abs," Beth whispered in her ear "glad you survived the road trip." Then she released Abby and stepped further into the room.

"Hi geek," she greeted her brother with a smile.

"Hey brat," Connor responded affectionately giving her a big hug.

"Oh, it's so wonderful to see you both together," said Connor's Mum. Turning to her tote, she started mumbling "now where did I put that camera."

"Mum, can I have a hug first?" asked Beth. The older woman turned, holding a camera in her hand.

"Of course you can have a hug sweetie," she said with a smile "but I do want some pictures… Abby, be a love would you…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The nearby restaurant that Beth had recommended for dinner was a favorite with the student crowd. The place provided a variety of tasty meals and quick service. Beth had dominated the dinner conversation with excited talk of her upcoming plans. Her internship at the ARC last semester had resulted in a job offer. She would soon be moving to London. Abby noticed the startled look on the older woman's face at that announcement.

"Oh," Connor's Mum said in a strained tone "will you be staying with Connor and Abby?" Abby and Connor looked at each other in surprise. Now they were the ones with a startled expression.

"Oh no," Beth rambled on "I'll be moving in with Jess, the girl I stayed with while interning…"

Under the table, Abby felt Connor reach for her hand and give it a little squeeze. She knew Connor loved his sister, but also she knew he enjoyed the privacy they had in their home as much as she did.

"Ooh, almost forgot," Beth added reaching into her red rucksack. She pulled an envelope out and handed it to her mother.

"Here… for tomorrow… there are tickets for the breakfast… it's at the Potter Pavilion, and then there are tickets to the graduation ceremony…" Beth continued chattering excitedly "afterwards, there is a tea on the lawn… but you won't need tickets for that..."

The waiter stopped by at that moment to ask if they needed anything else. Abby thought from the looks of him, he was hoping they would hurry on out and let the busboy wipe down the table for the next group of hungry patrons standing in the lobby.

Connor's mother surprised her though. Instead of asking for the bill, the woman insisted the waiter take a picture of her and her family, all four of them.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor's Mum had claimed the first shower when they returned to their hotel room after dinner. She was now dressed in her nightclothes and robe, pressing her dress on an ancient ironing board the hotel service had brought to the room.

Abby had taken the second turn at the shower. With Connor's robe wrapped snuggly over her nightie she now sat on the bed and toweled her hair dry. Abby wished she had remembered to pack her blow dryer. It would have made some noise at least.

The only sounds in the hotel room were the small hiss of the steam iron as Connor's mother slid it back and forth across the fabric and the sound of Connor's shower water running. There was a question that had been in the back of Abby's mind since their car ride earlier and it seemed like a safe topic.

"So if most of the students from this area go to this university, how did Connor wind up at Central Metropolitan University?" she asked.

Connor's mother looked at her in surprise. "Well he's brilliant," she replied "you should know that... he was in advanced courses all through secondary school, passed his A-levels…"

"Yeah, Connor's brilliant," agreed Abby as she floundered for words "but what I mean is… why Central Met?"

"Full scholarship," replied Connor's mother "including room and board as long as he lived in the dorm."

Abby didn't know what to say to that. Conversation languished, while the hiss of the steam iron sliding back and forth continued. The click of a button marked the end of ironing as the older woman turned off the iron.

"So how was your drive up this morning?" asked the elder Mrs. Temple hesitantly as she hung her dress in the closet.

"Lovely," Abby said with a smile at the memory "we stopped at the Heritage National Forest…"

"Oh," said Connor's Mum in a surprised tone. She turned to face Abby.

"We went for a hike and had a picnic," continued Abby.

"My husband and I used to take the children there on Saturdays," sighed the older woman "but I think that's the first time Connor's been back there since his father died..."

Whatever else she might have said was drowned out by a shout from the tiny bathroom.

"Augh!" exclaimed Connor "We're out of hot water."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby helped Connor rinse the shampoo out of his hair at the sink. The water was so cold that it made her fingers numb. Connor was dressed in his boxers and a long sleeve undershirt, but his hair was still wet and he was shivering as he crawled under the covers on their bed.

Connor's Mum was in the other bed, turned on her side facing away from them. It might be that she was snoring a little.

Abby turned off the lamp and crawled into the bed next to Connor.

"Roll over," she whispered giving him a gentle nudge to turn him on his side facing away from her. She wrapped her arm over his waist. Tonight they could cuddle together for warmth.


	3. The Pen Pal From Gambia

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The clicking sound of the lock on the door woke Abby.

"Connor," she whispered as she shook him "someone's at the door."

"Hmmph?" he mumbled sleepily. In the dim morning light, Abby could see his eyes were still shut tight.

"Get up!" hissed Abby "See who's at the door."

Connor stumbled out of bed and opened the door. Stepping out into the hallway, he looked first one direction and then the other. The door almost swung shut on him, but he caught it and re-entered the room.

"No one's there," Connor said. He moved over to the table. Beside his messenger bag Abby could see some of the tickets Beth had given his mother last night, but Connor picked up a piece of paper lying beside the tickets. He read the paper, and then turned to Abby.

"Mum said she's going over to help Beth get her graduation gown pinned up," he said "she left the breakfast tickets here… we're to meet her at the Potter Pavilion."

"What time is breakfast?" asked Abby.

"Not until nine," said Connor with a grin. Abby glanced at the small alarm on the night table. It was barely past seven. She smiled.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby and Connor strode briskly down the tree lined walkway from the hotel to the Potter Pavilion. The morning was sunny, with blue skies and not a cloud to be seen. But in spite of their hurry, they were late to breakfast.

Connor's Mum was sitting at a round table. Beth had already left, she had to be with the rest of the graduates, doing whatever it was that the university demanded to prepare for the upcoming ceremony.

"Mum," asked Connor "have you eaten yet?"

She had waited for them. Abby, Connor and his Mum lined up cafeteria style with the rest of the parents and siblings coming to celebrate and each got a tray, utensils and a plate of food. As they returned to the round table, Abby and Connor's Mum sat down. Connor put his tray down and said he would go fetch them all something to drink.

"Coffee please Connor," said his Mum.

"Tea or hot chocolate Abby?" asked Connor.

"Tea," Abby replied.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The food was starting to get cold, and there was still no sign of Connor with or without beverages. Abby and his mother had run out of things to say.

"I'll just go see what's keeping Connor," said Abby rising from her chair.

"Good idea," said his mother "I'll stay here and keep our seats."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby approached the beverage station cautiously. She was trying to avoid getting run into by people hurriedly carrying coffee, tea and hot chocolate. They didn't seem to be looking where they were going.

She spied Connor. He was standing at the far table talking to someone. As Abby got closer, she realized he was talking to a woman. And, they were holding hands.

"Connor?"

He turned towards her with a smile. "Abby," he said happily "I want you to meet my Juliet."

"What?" asked Abby.

"I mean… I want you to…" Connor was stumbling over his words, but smiling as if he were sure Abby and this woman would like each other. "Juliet, this is my Abby…"

The woman stepped forward, smiling and holding out her hand.

"Hi Abby," said Juliet "Connor's been telling me all about you… I'm Juliet… Connor and I used to date before he went away to uni."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"You left first," objected Connor. Turning to Abby he explained "Moved away to the Gambia, she did."

Oh, thought Abby, Connor's pen pal. But Abby hadn't realized that Connor and his pen pal had actually met… in person… or that his pen pal was quite so attractive… or that she and Connor had ever actually dated.

"Connor," Abby said the first thing that came to her mind. "You're mother's waiting for her coffee."

"Oh, right," said Connor "you two chat, I'll be right back."

Abby turned to look at Juliet, only to find that Juliet was gazing right back at her. Appraising her it seemed.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"So you and Connor…" began Abby uncertainly.

"Abby," replied Juliet "we knew each other when were teenagers… that's been years ago… another life... moved away when I was sixteen." Juliet gestured at the beverage table, "Tea?"

Abby remembered how she felt once about a boy when she was sixteen. That had been another life time ago too. Abby nodded mechanically at Juliet's suggestion and the two of them moved down the beverage table, finding tea and condiments. Juliet broke the silence first.

"I'm glad that you and Connor finally got together," she said quietly.

Abby sucked in a breath, and found herself gazing in Juliet's dark brown eyes again.

"We've been together for years," Abby replied.

"Yeah," snorted Juliet "I know… I did read those letters Connor wrote."

Abby remembered Connor used to get letters from the Gambia when he first moved in to the flat with her, but what had he told this Juliet person?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"What do you mean," Abby asked.

"We kept in touch," replied Juliet "the first couple of months after I moved away, we wrote almost every day… then it was on again off again over the next several years…"

She chuckled, "Really more off again, I guess. We quit writing for a while when he moved in with that girl at uni…"

Abby remembered the woman she had seen in the realtor's office. She shivered, and Juliet must have noticed. She nodded at Abby as if in agreement.

"That one was a proper nut job," Juliet said grimly. "I kept telling Connor she was a control freak… not wanting him to see his friends… not wanting him to write…"

Abby remembered that Connor told her that his girlfriend at uni had dumped him, but he hadn't said much else.

"He wrote again when they broke up…" added Juliet "he didn't deserve to be treated like that."

Now, Abby was wondering just what that strange brunette had done. But Juliet wasn't done talking.

"Connor told me about meeting you," Juliet continued "I didn't like the way you treated him either… didn't sound like you cared."

Abby's eyes widened at that comment. "Really," Abby began icily. But Juliet took no notice and kept on.

"Then I got a letter where he said he had given up on you and was dating someone named Caroline," said Juliet "I could tell he wasn't happy… I wrote and told him he was an idiot… he ought to tell you how he really felt."

"Why would you do that?" asked Abby.

"Well I loved him," answered Juliet as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"What?"

"Sometime I wonder what would have happened with us if my parents hadn't moved our family to the Gambia…," began Juliet "but our lives separated… I went to the Gambia and Connor went to uni… but still, I care about him... I want him to be happy."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

A young boy came up just then.

"Mum," he asked addressing Juliet, "can I have more hot chocolate?"

"May I, David," reminded Juliet "and yes. Then go back and sit with Gran."

Abby looked at the boy pouring hot chocolate. He had Juliet' brown hair and eyes, but the boys eyelashes were longer, and the dimpled smile he gave his mother as he left to go back to his table reminded Abby of Connor's smile. Her blue eyes grew wide as she wondered, how old was this boy?

Juliet must have realized what Abby was thinking.

"No Abby," she said sharply "David's just big for his age."

A big, shambling bear of a man came up then to stand beside her.

"Juliet," he asked with a dimpled grin "is this a friend of yours?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Abby," said Juliet "I'd like to introduce my husband. Ted this is Abby, the wife of an old friend."

As the man reached out his huge paw of a hand to grasp hers and shake it, Abby gave a little sigh of relief. For a moment there, Abby had thought… but no. This Juliet had found her own love.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor arrived then and introductions were made all around again.

Juliet and her family were in England for just a few weeks, and here today to see her youngest brother graduate. Connor grinned and said they would probably see each other at the ceremony, but right now he and Abby needed to get back to the table with his Mum.

Connor put his arm around Abby's shoulder as they turned to walk back to their table.

"Connor," asked Abby as they left the beverage table "When was the last time you wrote Juliet?"

"Wrote her when Cutter died... but then we got so busy... ," replied Connor "when we got back from the cretaceous…Lester had all our old mail... had a couple letters from her..."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	4. The Girl From Dance Class

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby didn't have a chance to ask Connor any more about Juliet, as his mother was already standing by the table, tapping her foot and looking from side to side.

"Hurry now," she urged them "we've got to go."

"But Mum," objected Connor "we've got tickets."

"That's just to get into the building," she replied "You want to get a seat don't you?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The graduation ceremony had gone on… and on… and on. The processional was followed by speeches. The professors, alumni and a few select students all had something to say. By the time they got to calling student names for the actual receiving of diplomas, Abby was leaning against Connor's shoulder with her eyes half shut. It was warm inside the building, and the sun shining brightly in her face didn't help matters.

Beside her, Connor and his Mum were talking about graduates they recognized.

"Little Charlie?" exclaimed Connor incredulously "No way… I remember him and Beth stepping on each others toes at dance class…"

"Who?" asked Abby.

"Just a friend of Beth's," answered Connor. "Now there's Georgie," he added pointing at a stocky young man approaching the podium "he's Juliet's youngest brother."

Abby sat up straight to watch. As the Dean announced the name of the graduate, cheers erupted from a section of the bleachers on the far side of the auditorium. From where she was sitting, Abby couldn't make out anyone specific.

"What's Georgie's last name," she asked.

"Henly," replied Connor's Mum. Abby sighed. It was going to be a long time before they got to the names beginning with T.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After the ceremony, Abby, Connor and his Mum stood outside in the lobby looking for Beth while the crowd of attendees got smaller and smaller. Connor's cell phone rang.

"Beth," he said in surprise "where are you? What? Well now you didn't say that…"

Connor snapped the phone shut and looked at Abby and his Mum. "She's already on the lawn… said for us to meet her there… underneath the awning… apparently they're starting the afternoon tea early."

"You two go on ahead," said Abby. Pointing at the door to the ladies loo, she added "I'm just going to freshen up a bit."

"Don't want to get separated," began Connor "lot of people here…"

"Connor," whispered Abby, nodding in the direction of his mother. The woman was struggling with the door. "Go on with her, I'll catch up with you… yeah."

"Yeah," Connor agreed. He gave her a quick kiss and then went to help his mother with the heavy door.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby felt better after washing her face with cool water. The walk back across the university green space was refreshing. It didn't take her long to locate Connor, Beth and his Mum.

In the distance, Abby could see that another couple had joined them. Beth was talking animatedly with a tall young man. If Abby remembered correctly he was the one that Connor had referred to as Little Charlie. Connor was standing motionless and appeared to be totally absorbed in the conversation.

As Abby drew closer to the group, she realized that the very curvy brunette standing between Connor and Little Charlie was holding on to Connor's arm. She seemed to be holding on very tightly, while Connor appeared determined not to notice this woman's odd behavior.

Abby's footsteps slowed. She wondered who was this strange woman, and why had she attached herself to Abby's husband. As Abby stepped closer, she realized that Connor's mother was quietly glaring at the brunette. Connor's mum must have heard Abby. For at that moment, she turned and greeted Abby with a relieved smile.

"Abby," said Connor's mum "you need to meet Charles."

Connor's mother grabbed Abby by the wrist and pulled her forward, bringing Abby's left hand up high. As the older woman introduced Abby to Charles, the sunlight caught on the rings adorning Abby's fourth finger. The gems flashed directly in the eyes of the strange woman. Connor's Mum seemed to lose her balance, swaying and stepping sideways. The older woman bumped into the woman holding Connor's arm.

The brunette lost her grip on Connor as she tried to keep her balance. Connor swiftly stepped away from her to catch his mother. The strange woman stepped closer to Abby. Her brows furrowed in displeasure as she looked down at Abby's dazzling rings.

"Beth said Connor was happy," huffed the woman angrily "she didn't tell me he was married." The woman spun on her heels and stalked away.

Abby saw a smile of relief on her mother-in-law's face. Just beyond Connor's Mum, Abby saw Juliet. She had seen the whole exchange and was grinning broadly. Juliet realized that Abby had seen her and gave her a thumbs up, before moving on.

Beth and Charlie continued talking with the elder Mrs. Temple, asking if she was alright. Connor started shaking out his arm as if he was trying to restore circulation.

Abby whispered "Connor, who was that?"

"What?" asked Connor. "Who?"

Connor looked in the direction Abby was pointing. "Oh, that's Charlie's sister…" he said "we went to school together… were dance partners once…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Later, at the beverage table Abby found herself meeting Juliet again.

"Jealous much," asked Juliet.

"No," said Abby "I trust Connor, know he loves me."

"Good," said Juliet with a relieved smile. "Don't forget that, it's important."

Abby bristled, wondering why this woman thought she needed to tell her something like that.

"It's a good thing you've got Mrs. Temple on your side," Juliet added conspiratorially "You'll need to watch out for Charlie's sister… she's the kind that likes to make other women jealous."

"What are you talking about?" asked Abby.

"Charlie's sister," answered Juliet "she's a possessive little…"

The woman took a deep breath. "She's mean and petty and stupid and..." Juliet looked at Abby, "She wants attention... she didn't want Connor… but she tried to make life miserable... for him or anyone that did want him."

Abby narrowed her eyes. "You seem to have survived."

"Yeah," said Juliet with that same broad grin "but Connor's worth fighting for… and I'm tough. Are you?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby headed back to the table where she had left Connor. She saw that Charlie's sister was once again clinging to her husband. As before, he was standing absolutely still, but this time he was speaking to the woman. As she came closer, Abby could hear their words.

"I would like you to let go of my arm," Connor said quietly.

"But Connor," the woman simpered "we should go dancing."

"No," he said "I want you to leave me alone."

For just a moment, there was a look in that woman's eyes, wild and angry, that reminded Abby of the strange woman that had accosted Connor in the realtor's office. But then the look was gone.

And whether it was the firm tone in Connor's voice, or the glare from Abby that made her leave, Abby didn't care. Just so long as the woman left.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Connor," Abby stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him. In a teasing voice she asked "should we get Becker to add her name to the security list?"

Connor's brown eyes opened wide in surprise. "What?"

"Didn't Becker tell you?" asked Abby "Months ago… I saw the papers on Lester's desk when I took in the requisitions for additional menagerie supplies."

"What papers Abby?"

"The security monitoring checklist," said Abby "after we moved in to our home… Becker downgraded the shoot to kill orders on Helen Cutter to capture and retain… he added names too… Philip Burton, in case he's not dead… and that woman from the realtor's office..."

Connor looked shocked. "Why?"

"I dunno," replied Abby "probably the same reason he has Caroline on the list."

"Caroline's not a danger to anybody," said Connor "and neither is Charlie's sister, not really..."

Abby raised her eyebrows at Connor's words. She noted that he hadn't said anything about the other woman, the one he'd known at uni. Then she looked at his arm, he was rubbing it again.

"Connor, what's wrong with your arm?" Abby demanded.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	5. What's Important

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor flushed at Abby's question. "Nothing's wrong," he answered.

"Let me see your arm," Abby demanded as she began to push up his sleeve. She gasped at the red marks on his wrist where the woman's fingernails had dug in.

"It's nothing," said Connor as he pushed the sleeve back down "should have been wearing me gloves… they give extra padding… just… wasn't expecting to run into her."

Abby seethed. This woman had clawed Connor like an animal, and apparently had done so before.

"What is that woman's name?" Abby asked "I'm going to…"

"Her name's not important," Connor interrupted "and neither is she. She's history."

Abby turned to look in the direction that woman had gone, determined to go after her, but Connor put his hands on her shoulders, holding her back, turning her to face him.

You don't need to do anything…" Connor whispered "we're here today to celebrate Beth's graduating. Being together… you, me, my Mum, my sister… that's what's important."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

After the tea was over, they had gone to help Beth and her roomie load up a Rent-A-Lorry with their things from the dorm.

Connor and the roomie's boyfriend struggled to load some of the bulky pieces of furniture while the ladies finished stuffing boxes. The boxes were small and light weight, but there were a lot of them. The last box, full of art supplies, had come open when Connor tried to shove it on the top of several other boxes. Paint spilled, pouring in multi-colored stripes over Connor.

"Abby," said Beth "you go ahead and take Connor back to the hotel so he can get cleaned up. I'll bring Mum when we're finished here."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The hotel management had let them keep the room later than standard check out time, for a small fee. While Abby had originally thought it would have been better to put their luggage in the car, keeping the room now turned out to have been a lucky decision.

Connor was still in the shower, his paint splattered clothing soaking in the sink, when Beth and his Mum arrived. Beth gave Abby a hug and an extra one for Abby to give to her brother, then was out the door again.

"See you at work on Monday," Beth called excitedly as she left.

Connor's Mum sat down on the side of the bed facing Abby. She looked tired thought Abby.

"Did you have a good time today," asked the older woman.

"Yeah," said Abby politely.

"I'm glad you were here today," Connor's Mum said. "It meant a lot to me. Connor probably wouldn't have come," the older woman continued "if you hadn't."

Abby blinked in surprise.

"Of course he would have come," Abby insisted. "It was a chance to see you and Beth and some old friends of Connor's…"

The older woman made a choking sound.

"You met some of Beth's friends today, but don't think for a minute that Charlie's sister is actually an old friend of Connor's," she said.

Abby remembered how Connor's Mum had acted earlier this afternoon. "Who is she?" asked Abby.

"Nobody important," the older Mrs. Temple replied. "Connor had a crush on her once, but… well, the accident… it changed everything.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby watched the woman's face. She seemed to be struggling with the memories, but then she started to speak.

"I don't blame the girl for not coming to see Connor after the accident," the older woman said "not everyone is brave enough to deal with something like that."

Connor's Mum took a deep breath, "After the accident, Connor was home schooled most of that year. My husband and I had picked a small town to live in… to raise our children in… but that's not for everyone. When Connor was injured… it was isolating, too isolating."

Abby remembered Beth telling her about how Duncan and Tom had visited Connor regularly while he was being home schooled, but she couldn't remember if Beth had mentioned anyone else.

"When he did go back to school," the woman continued "there were lots of girls who had seen his picture in the paper or on the telly… they were interested… but that sort never lasted long. Every once in a while though, he would meet someone… and Charlie's sister… would be around quick as a blink… doing something…and before you know it, Connor and the new girl have broken up."

"What?" asked Abby. She didn't understand. What had that girl done?

"I don't rightly know," sighed Connor's Mum "she was just spiteful, and I do blame her for that. It was as if she didn't want Connor herself, but she didn't want anyone else to have him either."

"Juliet said pretty much the same thing," replied Abby.

"What?" asked Connor's Mum, clearly surprised. "You met Juliet?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Connor introduced us," said Abby.

The older woman smiled at that. "Yes," she said "he would. You're a lot alike you know… brave, kind, smart."

Abby listened, thinking that Connor's mother must have liked Juliet… and maybe even liked her too.

"Of course," the older woman continued "they were way too young for anything serious."

"Some people get married at sixteen," objected Abby, thinking of her own mother.

"Well," replied Connor's Mum "if they had gotten married, Connor wouldn't have gone to uni… he would probably be working at the bank with me."

The sound of the shower water stopped.

"Abby," called Connor "are there any clean towels out there?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

They had left the hotel later than they had planned, but still managed to arrive back at Connor's boy hood home before it got too late. Connor and Abby were going to stay here for the night and return to London the next morning.

Abby had lived in a care facility and then city flats for most of her life, so she was surprised to see where Connor had grown up. The large tree in back of the house had a tree fort Connor told her. And there had been a barbi in the back yard once.

Opening the front door to enter the home surprised Abby most of all. The cozy living room was warm and inviting. Throw pillows on the sofa, books on tables. There was a huge fireplace against one wall, a piano against the opposite wall. It reminded Abby a bit of her and Connor's home in London.

"You play the piano?" asked Abby.

Connor grinned at her and held up his hands, wiggling his fingers.

"Had lessons," he admitted "but I'm better on a computer keyboard. Mum and Beth have the musical talent. What about you?"

Abby shook her head. "Never learned to play an instrument," she answered "but I like to sing."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

They had a light dinner of salad and soup, and then Connor's Mum was saying good night. She was tired. It had been a long day.

"I put fresh sheets on the bed in your room," the older woman added as she went upstairs.

"Thanks Mum," replied Connor "we're just going to watch a little telly before going to bed."

"Connor," Abby said looking at him sternly "what are we watching?"

"But Abby," he protested "it's me favorite show…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The sounds of rampaging dinosaurs had long since faded away, when Abby turned off the telly.

"Connor," she said breathlessly "maybe we should go upstairs."

He nodded, taking her hand to help her up from the sofa. They tiptoed up the stairs. Connor opened the first door on the right and pulled Abby inside.

The posters from Connor's youth remained on the walls showing heroes from Battlestar Gallactica, Blakes Seven, Dr. Who and various other science fiction shows. Model dinosaurs stood upon the bookshelves. But the thing that most caught Abby's attention was the Star Wars comforter, and the narrow twin bed it covered.

"Connor," Abby said "you didn't mention your bed was a single…"

"Don't worry Abby," he replied as he lay back on the bed, pulling her down on top of him "two can fit quite easily."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	6. Future Plans

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby and Connor had originally planned on driving back to London after they took his mother into town for church, but the older woman didn't think much of that idea.

"When was the last time you were in church Connor?"

"Uh… me wedding," he answered "been a bit busy…"

So Abby and Connor wound up going to church with his Mum.

After services, Connor's Mum insisted on introducing Abby all around. Abby thought her hand was going to fall off from shaking hands, so many people were stopping by to congratulate them on their wedding. For a moment, she thought she glimpsed Juliet and her family, but then another couple stepped in front of her

The pudgy little man with graying hair looked somewhat familiar, but when Abby looked at the woman wearing glasses and smiling happily she knew who they were.

"You're Duncan's parents, right?" Abby asked.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

And then of course, when Abby and Connor drove Connor's Mum back home, she had insisted on feeding them… it was as if she thought they might starve before they got back to London. She had made sandwiches and served cherry pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Abby stared at the dessert the woman placed in front of her. Connor had just said something about a family tradition…

"Abby," Connor's Mum called "Abby, are you all right?"

"Yeah," Abby replied "it's just… I was remembering… when I was a little girl we used to go for ice cream on Sunday's."

The woman smiled sadly at her, she knew some of Abby's history and all about Jack.

"I don't remember much else from when I was little," Abby continued "just the one thing Mummy and Daddy both agreed on was that I should stay out of the roadway."

Connor's mother rested her hand lightly on Abby's shoulder and said "That's one of the ways parents tell their children how much they love them."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby was driving again. She and Connor were almost to London. He had been quiet most of the drive.

"Penny for your thoughts," Abby said.

"Hmmph?" replied Connor.

"Connor…" Abby replied "what are you thinking? You're miles away."

"Oh just some of the stuff me Mum was talking about," he began.

Abby knew he was worried about his Mum. The bank was closing down the branch office where she worked. They had offered her a position at another bank in Bradford, so she was planning to move. Duncan's father was a realtor. He was going to help her either sell or rent the family home. But Connor wasn't thinking about that right now, he was remembering his Mum's comment to Abby.

"The accident…" he began "I don't remember anything after the van… but right before the van… I remember my Dad shouting at me to get off the road... he ran his bicycle into mine."

Abby listened as Connor continued to talk about his father; a science teacher, and builder of tree forts, a man who sang off key at church, and held his mother close when they danced, a man that Connor still missed so very much.

After seeing Connor's home and the town where he had grown up, Abby had been thinking that their childhoods had been totally different. But really they had something very important in common. Their parents loved them.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Later that evening, Abby woke to find Connor thrashing about in their bed. She shook him, gently calling his name.

"Bad dream?" she asked when he finally opened his eyes.

"Yeah," he replied with a shiver "white panel vans and raptors."

"Mmmph," Abby murmured "let's see if I can take your mind off that…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Connor," said Abby later as they snuggled side by side "Tuesday I've got an appointment with my G-Y-N…" She felt him tense up.

"Is something wrong," he asked.

"No…" replied Abby. She knew he worried about her health, especially after their experience in the cretaceous. "It's just a regular check up."

He breathed out, the tension leaving his body as quickly as it had arrived.

"Good," Connor said "Do you want me to drive you over? I could request some time off… make it up later in the week…"

"No Connor," answered Abby "I'm perfectly capable of driving myself. It's just…"

He let go of her as he raised himself on one arm. He looked at her in concern. 'It's just what?"

"It's just… the doctor will give me a refill on my prescription," Abby said as she watched his face carefully "or not… if I tell her…"

She could tell the moment he understood what she was suggesting. The worry in his brown eyes was replaced by a happy glow. A smile started to spread across his face.

"You mean it?" Connor asked.

"Yeah," said Abby "I'd love to be having a baby with you."


	7. Not Likely

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Tuesday afternoon Abby left work early to go to her doctor's appointment. She stopped by the chemist shop on her way home. The flat was quiet when she let herself in. She set the bag down on the table. The bag fell over sideways and spilled its contents across the table as she went to look for Connor.

He wasn't there.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor wasn't answering his cell phone either. When Abby called the ARC, the Delta field coordinator answered. There had been multiple anomalies opening while she had been at her appointment. Connor had joined one of the teams and the comms were down.

Then Lester came on the phone line.

"Abby, I'm sure he's alright," Lester told her "Becker's bringing Alpha team to join them."

"What?" asked Abby "Which field team did Connor go out with?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the ARC, Lester glared at the Delta field coordinator. He answered Abby's question.

"Fiona doesn't seem to understand the meaning of research only," he said "she sent him out with the epsilon team." They both knew that the recently created epsilon team was full of green recruits.

The woman sitting in the hubs chair started spluttering at Lester's comment. She knew what research only meant… but they were short handed… and Connor had offered to help.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

It was just over an hour later when Abby heard the big SUV pull up in front of their flat. She opened the door in time to hear Connor tell Becker thanks for the lift and watched him come up the steps. He was dripping wet.

"What happened?" Abby asked.

"A flock of ichthyornis," replied Connor "down by the Thames."

"What's that?"

"Imagine a flock of seagulls… but bigger," answered Connor as he stepped inside to drip on the entryway mat "with teeth… jumping in the Thames seemed better than staying on the dock."

"Let's get those wet things off of you," said Abby as she shut the door.

"Oh," said Connor sounding hurt. His shoulders slumped.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Connor, what's wrong?" asked Abby "Where are you hurt?"

"Nothing's wrong," he sighed "I'm fine… just..."

Abby followed the line of his gaze. He was looking at the boxes of condoms spilled out from the bag on the table.

"Connor," she said.

He turned to face her. Abby was momentarily reminded of when she had introduced Connor to her brother. He had that same smile on his face, the one that didn't reach his eyes.

"Yes Abby," he answered.

"The doctor said we need to let the prescription chemicals get out of my system first," she explained "so I bought some condoms on my way home… do you think that's enough to last two months?"

The smile he gave her as he picked her up and hugged her tightly was dazzling. He whispered in her ear.

"Not likely."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

She squealed as the wetness of his clothes seeped through hers to chill her skin.

"Now you've gone and got us both wet," Abby exclaimed.

"We should both get out of our wet things," said Connor raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Yeah."


	8. Change

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

**A/N - To Have or Have Not and Another Show take place between chapters 8 and 9**

8.5

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

At her yearly physical, Abby had expressed her worries to her doctor. She and Connor had quit using condoms months ago. Shouldn't she be pregnant by now?

The doctor had tried to be reassuring. Good things take time… for some women it takes longer for the birth control chemicals to leave their systems... try not to worry… stress can be a problem you know.

The little test strips and graduated cylinder that doctor had provided were more accurate than the over the counter stuff you could buy at a chemists. But don't try to test yourself more than once a month. Don't want you to disappoint yourself.

And Abby hadn't wanted to disappoint Connor, so she hadn't told him anything yet. She held her breath and dunked the little strip of paper.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Connor!"

Something thumped and crashed in the living room. Connor's footsteps could be heard as he ran up the stairs and down the hallway. The bathroom door swung open. Connor stood there, as always prepared to defend her, armed with a rolled up magazine in one hand and a coat hanger in the other.

"Abby!"

She looked at him in amazement.

"Connor, what were you expecting?" she asked.

Seeing no creatures in their bathroom, Connor relaxed his take on the world stance.

"Dunno," he replied "A snake… or maybe a relative of the Loch Ness monster… What made you scream?"

Abby held up the little strip of paper. Connor looked at it uncomprehendingly.

"What?"

"Connor," said Abby as she stood up and gradually moved closer to him. She then whispered "we're pregnant."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	9. Baby

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

9.3

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Arrgh!"

"It's okay Abby," encouraged Connor. "Just breathe."

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her hands in his. Looking up into the rear view mirror, he saw his sister's eyes looking back worriedly at him. "Hurry Beth… and keep your eyes on the road."

The contraction eased. In the back seat of the tiny car, Abby relaxed against Connor's body. She moved her hands to hold his, interlacing her fingers between his fingers. Abby was panting, still rapidly inhaling and exhaling shallow breaths of air.

"We need to get the seat belt on you love," said Connor.

"No," she hissed at him. "We need to get to the hospital!"

"Yeah," Connor agreed while pulling the strap across her huge abdomen, clicking the buckle in place. "Beth's gonna get us there." He added in a soothing tone.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Another contraction started and Abby was grasping his hands, digging her fingernails into his skin.

"Arrgh!"

"Owww!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The contraction eased, Abby was panting again.

"This is your fault!" she said angrily.

"What?" asked Connor "No Abby, the traffic couldn't possibly be my fault. Abby that's crazy."

Her body tensed as another contraction began.

"Arrgh!"

"Owww!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Beth pulled into the emergency entrance of the hospital finally. A gurney was brought and Abby was wheeled inside, Connor anxiously trailing along beside her.

Bright lights, stirrups, sheets smelling faintly of antiseptic, and push! Push! PUSH!

"Wah!"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	10. Together

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby was fidgeting.

She had awoken in the recovery room. Nurses were constantly monitoring her blood pressure. After an hour Abby had finally been wheeled into the maternity ward. The orderly had told her to stay there. Don't get out of bed or we'll put you back in the recovery room he'd told her.

Abby still felt woozy. The meds she had been given were making her head spin. Abby didn't think she could get out of bed. She was now sitting in the hospital bed, fidgeting.

Where was her baby and where was Connor?

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Fifteen minutes later, a cheerful looking nurse pushed open the door to her room. She looked at Abby, then turned to speak to someone in the hall.

"She's in here," the nurse said, "let me do my checks, then you can go on in."

The nurse crossed the tile floor to Abby's bedside.

"Where…" began Abby.

The nurse smiled at her conspiratorially. "They're in the hall," she answered Abby's unspoken question "I'll let them in after I take your vitals… you gave us quite a scare you know."

"What are you talking about?" asked Abby as the woman grabbed her wrist to take her pulse. She was counting silently to herself and didn't speak for a moment.

"They didn't tell you in the recovery room?" asked the nurse when she finally spoke.

"Tell me what?

The nurse wrapped a blood pressure monitoring device around Abby's arm.

"You started hemorrhaging… passed out… right after the baby was born," the nurse answered.

"Normally we would keep you in the recovery room for constant monitoring for another couple of hours," she added "but doctor said best to put you in a regular room where your husband could see you or we'd have another patient on our hands."

The nurse opened the door to the hallway. "You can see her now," she said.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor entered the room. His brown eyes were worried. He was carrying a little bundle swaddled in a pink blanket.

"Abby, are you all right?" Connor asked.

The nurse wheeled in a shiny metal hospital bassinet behind him. It looked more like a filing drawer than a baby bed thought Abby.

"When you get tired of holding her," said the nurse "put her in here and we'll take her back to the nursery."

Abby watched as Connor came closer to her bedside. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to the nurse's words.

"Yeah, right," he said. But he never took his eyes off of Abby.

"Abby, are you all right?" Connor asked again.

"Yeah, Conn, I'm fine." Abby said as the nurse slipped out of the room. "Connor, what happened? Is the baby alright?"

"Abby… Abby," said Connor, his brown eyes filled with tears threatening to spill over. "I thought we lost you there for a moment."

"You're not losing me Connor," Abby responded. Even though her head was pounding, she said "I'm fine. What about the baby?"

Connor grinned. "Abby are you ready to meet our daughter?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor held the little pink bundle up to Abby. She started to take the baby, but stopped. She was staring at Connor's hands. His hands were wrapped in gauze bandages.

"Connor, what's wrong with your hands?"

"Nothing's wrong," he answered. She glared at him.

"It's just… in the car… coming over here…" he continued "you really held on tight when you were having contractions... doctor's wanted to bandage me hands… mainly think they wanted to keep me out of the way…"

All of a sudden, Abby remembered Beth's graduation from so long ago. The girl from dance class had held on tight to Connor too, she had clawed his wrist leaving red marks.

"It's not nothing," Abby hissed "just like it wasn't nothing when Charlie's sister scratched your arms up."

"What? The scratches aren't important Abby," said Connor in confusion "and neither was Charlie's sister … why are you bringing her up now?"

"Connor," asked Abby incredulously "are you going to tell me I'm not important someday? Charlie's sister obviously thought you two had a history…"

"The only history we had was being dance partners years ago…" interrupted Connor "I don't know why she…"

"Because I told her," interrupted another voice quietly. Abby and Connor turned to see Beth standing by the door.

"When you were stuck at home… after the accident… Connor… you seemed so lonely," Beth continued "I told her what you had said about liking her and wanting to take her to the Fall Dance… told her that she should visit… but she never did."

"Well that sort of explains why she always acted like she owned me when I went back to school the next year," said Connor "but really I don't remember ever saying I liked her… liked dancing with her, but… can't dance with broken legs."

In the momentary silence following Connor's words, Beth held up her smart phone.

"Connor… Abby…" she asked "May I take a picture of the three of you?"

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The nurse had interrupted them just as Beth's phone camera clicked.

"You need to get out of here," the nurse scolded Beth "she needs her rest… no other visitors today."

Beth had left quickly, promising to send the picture to Connor's Mum and all their friends. The nurse had checked Abby's vitals again and then followed Beth out of the room.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Abby," said Connor cautiously "the nurse said that the pain medication they gave you might make you…"

"Might make me what?" Abby snapped.

Connor stepped backwards clattering into the bassinet. He was still holding the little pink bundle. Not a sound could be heard. He took a deep breath.

"Might make you not quite like yourself," he said quietly "makes some people… umm… uh… aggressive."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Aggressive with antisocial behavior, psychopathic… Abby remembered the words from the court hearing months ago. The woman who had stalked them, throwing bricks into the front window of their home had been described with those words.

"I'm not like that woman you lived with at uni," Abby hissed angrily.

"Never thought you were," replied Connor. He looked at her warily.

"You love me… for who I am… you don't go around trying to control me…" he continued "she…" He stopped speaking for a moment.

"You don't treat someone you love like that," he concluded quietly.

Abby remembered the solicitor. She and Connor had requested a restraining order against the woman. The solicitor had told them that the woman had been diagnosed with some sort of bipolar disorder and would be sent for therapy and medication. The solicitor didn't really think the woman was a threat to them.

"Do you think I'm dangerous?" Abby asked.

"No!" exclaimed Connor. "You're wonderful, brave and kind and smart…"

"That's how your mother described Juliet," interrupted Abby.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Well, the two of you are a lot alike," admitted Connor "but you're..."

"Then why didn't you marry Juliet?"

"We had talked about it… maybe… someday… after uni," began Connor "we had talked about going to the local university… you know, the one Beth graduated from… we were going to go there together."

Abby just stared in amazement. She'd never heard Connor speak of this before.

"But then I got the scholarship to Central Met… Juliet kept telling me I should go there… it had the programs I really wanted… it was a better school…"

Connor took a deep breath. The little pink bundle in his arms squirmed a bit, then settled.

"Juliet kept saying that she didn't want to hold me back… and then her parents decided to move the family to the Gambia… so she went with them instead," he continued. He closed his eyes for a moment, the long lashes looking darker than ever against his pale face.

"I wrote every day… for two months after Juliet left," he said "then I got a letter where she told me to quit writing… told me to go on to uni and get on with me life… she was getting on with hers."

"Oh Connor," said Abby. It sounded so harsh she thought, not like the Juliet she had met at Beth's graduation. "I thought she loved you."

He looked surprised at her words.

"Juliet did love me," he answered "she loved me enough to set me loose… I wouldn't have gone to Central Met if I had kept on pining away for her… would never have met Cutter or gone to the Forest of Dean… I would never have met you."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The little pink bundle Connor had been holding carefully all this while squirmed and let out a tiny little squeaking noise, then settled again.

"Abby," asked Connor "are you ready to meet our daughter?"

"Yeah."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Connor stepped forward and pulled the little blanket back.

"Isn't she beautiful," he breathed.

Abby looked at the baby. Their daughter had dark brown hair and even darker eyelashes, long and lush like Connor's thought Abby. She listened as he talked excitedly about their little girl… seven pounds, seven ounces… 21 inches long… they had both been rushed out of the delivery room when the doctors realized Abby was going to need additional care. Connor paused for a moment.

"Don't scare me like that again please," he begged.

"I'll try not to," answered Abby. He gave a tremulous smile at her response.

"I got to feed her," Connor said proudly "She drank a whole four ounces."

"What?" exclaimed Abby "I wanted to breast feed…"

"Abby," said Connor gently "the pain meds the doctor gave you… it's not good for a baby… she'll need to have formula until…"

"Until the meds are out of my system," said Abby.

"Yeah," said Connor. "Abby… hold out your arms."

Connor gently placed the tiny baby in her arms. "Scoot over a bit," he said.

"What," asked Abby "are you going to get up in the bed too?"

"Sure," replied Connor "it's big… we can all fit quite easily."

Abby blinked at his words. She had heard Connor say something quite like that before.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Ohhh," she gasped.

"What?" asked Connor.

"That's what you said…" began Abby "when we went to your Mum's home the first time… in the single bed with the star wars comforter… you had someone in that bed with you before… it was Juliet!? Wasn't it?"

Connor blinked and his face flushed a bit.

"Abby," he said firmly "I never took anyone to bed in that room besides you… I just know how big the bed is… like I know how big this bed is."

Connor didn't feel the need to tell Abby about the details of his love for Juliet. Really, it just wasn't polite to kiss and tell. But, he could almost hear Stephen coaching him again… she needs to know that it's over.

"Juliet and I… we were each other's first love… but we've both moved on."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"You and Sarah are the only women in my life now," said Connor.

Abby narrowed her eyes.

"What?" Connor asked "What have I said now?

"What about your Mum, and your sister…" began Abby, "Jess, Emily, Jenny… and what if we have another daughter?"

"Another daughter?" asked Connor. "You mean… you might… you want to have another baby?" He looked so hopeful at that moment.

Abby nodded yes. She scooted over and patted the bed beside her, Connor was quick to join her.

Looking down at the beautiful little girl snuggled in her arms, Abby replied "I want a half dozen at least."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next time the nurse came to check Abby's vital signs, she brought a bottle for little Sarah Leia Temple.

"Really," the nurse said "I should take the baby back to the nursery… and you… Mr. Temple… you should go home."

"I'm staying right here," Connor replied. "We're staying together."

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

And if… somewhere in that hospital an anomaly opened…

And if a woman dressed in dreary khaki were to step through… she would have seen a long legged man with red hair starting to gray standing guard at the door to the young Mrs. Temple's hospital room.

Nobody dangerous was getting past him.


	11. A Long Night

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

A nurse continued to come every half hour to check Abby's vitals.

At ten o'clock, a new nurse had insisted that Connor get out of Abby's bed pointing him at the visitor's chair. She had also brought more of the extra strength pain medication, but Abby had refused to take it. Her head was still spinning and she really didn't feel quite right.

"Acetaminophen then for you," insisted the nurse "It's alright… won't hurt the little one if you breast feed." When I breast feed, thought Abby as she swallowed the acetaminophen.

"And you," said the nurse sternly to Connor "she needs her rest, no more snuggling in the hospital bed with her. You've got to go home."

Connor was sitting in the visitor's chair, holding little Sarah and feeding her again. "I'm not leaving," he said determinedly.

There must have been something in the way he said it, or perhaps it was the look in his eyes, but the nurse just sighed.

"This room's a semi-private," she said sternly as she pointed to the hospital bed on the other side of the nightstand from Abby, "but no one's been assigned to that bed. When you're done feeding the baby, put her in the bassinet. Both my patients need their rest. You can stay in the room, but you sleep over there. If I have to, I'll call security and have you removed."

"Now you," the nurse said turning her gaze back to Abby "let's see if you can walk to the lavatory. Give me your arm."

Abby was a little shaky, but with the nurses help, she managed ten steps from the bed to the lavatory, and another ten steps back.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

At two in the morning, the nurse had brought another bottle. Abby had disliked the hard glass bottle in her hands, but insisted on her turn to feed her daughter. After the little one had sucked down the contents, Connor had walked the infant, patting her on the back, praising her soft little burps. A nappy change and then he swaddled little Sarah in the pink blanket and set her gently in the bassinet. Connor then rolled the bassinet back in between the two hospital beds before he climbed into the other bed.

Later, Abby woke to the sound of the nurse speaking sharply to someone in the hallway. The woman then opened the door and came in.

"What was that?" Abby asked sleepily.

"Just some bloke standing around in the hallway," answered the nurse as she reached for Abby's arm.

The woman looked approvingly at the chart as she jotted down the latest blood pressure reading.

"Twelve hours and steady all the way… that's good. I'll let you get some sleep now… be back at six," she said.

Abby turned to look at her family. She saw that Connor had rolled over on his stomach. His arm was dangling over the side of the bed, his hand resting lightly on little Sarah's back. As she closed her eyes to drift back to sleep, Abby thought they both appeared to be drooling a little.

There were several more interruptions in the night.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Sometime after three in the morning, Becker poked his head in the room. Abby looked at him in surprise. He was dressed in work clothes, black uniform, safety vest, holding a gun… a real gun Abby saw, not an EMD.

"What?" asked Abby.

"Are you all right?" asked Becker as he scanned the room anxiously. In the other bed, Connor was stirring, sitting up.

"Becker," he asked "what are you doing here?"

"Nothing," replied Becker "just some security stuff." As he stepped back out into the hallway, Abby heard Becker calling Hendricks and Stephenson to stand at the doorway. Connor climbed out of the bed and followed after Becker.

Connor returned in a few minutes with words of reassurance.

"Everything is fine," he said softly in response to Abby's questions "but you need to get some sleep or that nurse is going to chuck me out of here."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The next time Abby woke, little Sarah was squalling. Connor was walking her, patting her on the back, but the baby was twisting her head from side to side, gnawing on her little fist. It was a half past five in the morning. Abby pushed the call button for the nurse.

A voice crackled over the intercom. "All you all right?"

"I'm fine," responded Abby "but Sarah needs a bottle."

"Yeah, a bottle will be brought when we do our next rounds," said the static filled voice.

"No," insisted Abby "Sarah needs to be fed… either bring the bottle now or I'm coming to get it."

Abby was feeling better this morning, almost like her regular self.

The nurse's aide brought the bottle.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Abby watched Connor. He was feeding little Sarah. Abby thought that she could watch this all day. But there was something from yesterday's conversation bothering her.

"Connor," she called.

"What?" asked Connor looking up at her with a smile.

"Yesterday," Abby said cautiously "maybe I didn't hear you right… when we were talking about your other girlfriends…"

She could actually see his body tense. He stiffened and seemed to look at her almost as if she were a dangerous creature. It almost reminded her of the look on his face when they had run into his former girlfriend from uni at the realtor office so many years ago.

"It sounded like," she continued "the only reason you didn't marry Juliet is because she dumped you."

"Abby," began Connor slowly, choosing his words with care, "circumstances separated us… and I'll be the first to admit I was gutted when Juliet moved away… but that was then… when we were sixteen…"

Abby started to interrupt, but he continued speaking.

"If she hadn't moved… if we had gotten married back then," he said "we would probably have been divorced by now..." Connor set the empty bottle on the table beside him and shifted baby Sarah to his shoulder. He started patting their daughter gently on the back.

Abby remembered her own parents. They had married young. Her mother had been sixteen when she married, her father not much older. Abby had been born shortly afterwards, Jack was born a few years later after the family had moved to London. Her parents had divorced soon after her mother's twenty-second birthday.

Connor stood up to walk Sarah. He turned to look back at Abby.

"Abby, there's a part of me that will always love Juliet… I don't think love ever really dies," he said "but I was glad when I got her wedding invitation… it was in the mail Lester saved for us when we were in the cretaceous… she told me to be sure and ask you to be me plus one. She wanted me to find someone to love too."

Abby remembered what Juliet had said so long ago when they met at Beth's graduation, "I care about him... I want him to be happy."

"Abby," said Connor "I love you, only you… please tell me you're not jealous of Juliet."

Juliet had asked Abby something similar that long ago day, and Abby realized that her answer to Connor's question now was the same one she had given Juliet then. Love was not jealous.

"No Connor, I'm not jealous," Abby replied "I know you love me."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


	12. Caroline

**Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.**

**Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.**

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Voices could be heard in the hallway, and then the doctor entered the room to check on Abby. He was complaining about armed men in a hospital. Abby turned to look at Connor.

"Becker's men are still here?" she asked.

"Well yeah," said Connor shifting tiredly from one foot to the other as he patted Sarah on the back, "the ARC registered an anomaly opening in the hospital last night."

"I thought you said it closed right away," said Abby "that there was no incursion."

"I did," answered Connor "but you know how Becker is… he assigned Hendriks and Stephenson to guard the doorway… just in case… if the anomaly reopens or some anomaly tourists try something."

Abby snorted at his last words. Since the anomalies had become public knowledge, some people had deliberately acted against the safety advice of Jenny and the public relations team. Instead of alerting the authorities, and avoiding the anomalies, these people actively sought out anomalies. Some people wanted pictures, some wanted prehistoric pets, and some… wanted to go exploring.

"Really," she said "I don't understand some people."

"But Abby," said Connor "I think some of them are supposed to go through, like that artist last month… you remember… Leonard… from Ipswich… he went back to renaissance Italy."

"Yeah Connor," said Abby knowing how excited Connor had been when his new dating and location calculator had showed a reading for 1473 Florence Italy. And when a young man had bumped into him, shoving past Connor in his headlong rush to dive through the glowing ball of fractured light, Connor had been worried. The young man might change something, but if Leonard changed anything they couldn't tell.

"Uhh, hmmm," coughed the doctor, "right now, there are more important things to talk about than anomalies. How are you feeling young lady?"

Abby looked at the doctor. "There are two things I want to know," she said "When can I start nursing my baby and when can we go home?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Knowing that it was safe for her to start nursing little Sarah had made Abby very happy. It almost made her not even mind when the doctor had insisted on keeping her in the hospital for another two days observation.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Their first visitors arrived at nine.

Jenny peaked in the doorway. "Everybody decent?" she asked. Taking the muffled reply to be a positive response, she stepped inside. Seeing only Abby sitting in the bed holding Sarah, she asked "Where's Connor? I thought he was here too."

"Sarah spit up on Connor," explained Abby "he's in the lavatory switching his shirt around so she won't have her face in a wet spot when he holds her."

"How are you feeling?" asked Jenny as she leaned in to see the tiny infant Abby was holding. "Ooh!" The two women were soon happily counting fingers and toes.

Connor stepped back into the room in time to hear Abby say "She's got her Daddy's eyes."

"Where's Michael and little Jamie," he asked Jenny.

Jenny frowned. "That harridan at the front desk said little children were not allowed to visit, so Michael took Jamie to the park while I'm here," she responded "and I can't stay long either… only one person at a time and not more than twenty minutes."

"What?" asked Abby in dismay, but at that moment the door opened as Jess and Mrs. Lester entered the room.

"Well, that nurse told me only one person at a time," Jenny repeated in surprise.

Mrs. Lester looked at her coolly and replied "I explained to her that sometimes a rule needs to be broken."

Abby smirked. Apparently the bossy nurse from last night had met her match in Mrs. Lester.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

The women were soon all cooing over little Sarah. Jenny was saying something about wanting to introduce her son to the baby when they got out of the hospital.

Connor leaned against the wall with his eyes shut. He appeared to be sleeping standing up, but when there was a lull in the conversation he asked Jess a question.

"Jess," asked Connor "who was on duty last night? What kind of readings did we get from the anomaly?"

She turned her head away from the baby in Abby's arms to look at him.

"Beth was on last night," she said "but we didn't get any readings. The anomaly opened and then closed before we got a team here."

"Another one?"

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Mrs. Lester turned to look at Connor. "Another one what?" she asked.

"Another blinker," he answered "or at least that's what I call the anomalies that open and close so quick we can't get any readings on them. It's just… they seem to be occurring more frequently than the longer lasting anomalies…"

"Perhaps it's just that now we are finding them," replied Mrs. Lester "and before we didn't."

"Well, maybe" Connor said "but I've only seen blinkers since New Dawn... never before... and..."

Mrs. Lester narrowed her eyes to look at Connor. "And what?"

"We haven't seen any anomalies open to the future since New Dawn," said Connor "I understand why the race track anomaly closed after New Dawn… we stopped Matt's future from ever being a possibility, but… no future anomalies…it just doesn't make sense."

"What do you mean?" asked Jess.

"Helen," replied Connor "she's come back and forth through time, bringing all sorts of future kit… serious stuff too… the neural implants on those predators Leek had… the clones…the anomaly opening device and the body camouflage… Where's she getting it from? And why can't we ever find the future technology?"

"Connor," said Mrs. Lester quietly "I think you're forgetting something."

"What?"

"The future changes every day, with every decision we make," she replied. "Our job is to keep the world safe, send people and creatures back where they belong, lock the anomalies." She took a breath and then asked "If we did find an anomaly to the future, we wouldn't use it. We're not Helen right?"

Connor chuckled a bit at that comment. "Right," he agreed "guess we'll have to make our own future kit."

Mrs. Lester smiled brightly, her mask firmly in place. She knew Connor was going to continue developing new technology. And if she knew of any open anomalies to the future, or had the means to open an anomaly to the future, she wasn't telling.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Little Sarah started squirming then. She wanted to be fed again. The ladies left, and Connor and Abby were alone with Sarah. When the baby was done feeding, Abby handed the little girl to Connor. He paced back and forth, patting Sarah on the back. Abby watched as the baby spit up again, leaving a trail of wetness across Connor's shoulder.

As he wrapped the baby in the little pink blanket and then carefully laid her back in Abby's arms, Abby said "Connor, you should go home… take a shower and have a lie down… you're exhausted."

"But…" Connor pointed to the adjacent bed "I can sleep there."

"Yeah," Abby agreed "but you need clean clothes and a shave before you go pick up your Mum at the train station. We'll be fine, go on now." And truthfully, Abby wanted a little one on one time with her daughter.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

Twenty minutes later, the door swung open again. Abby looked up from watching Sarah sleep to see a huge vase of flowers enter the room. Not much of the person carrying the flowers could be seen, just a pair of legs in white slacks. As the vase was lowered to the table next to the visitor's chair, Caroline straightened up.

"I hope you don't mind," she said to Abby "I'll leave if you do."

"What are you doing here?" asked Abby. She and Connor hadn't seen the woman since Stephen's funeral. And although Abby knew that Becker kept Caroline's name on the security watch list, she hadn't done anything out of line that Abby was aware of.

"I work in the administration department here," replied Caroline "heard you and Connor had a baby. May I see?"

She was waiting, Abby realized. Caroline hadn't stepped forward, and she looked nervous. Almost as if she expected Abby to get out of the bed and start a fight with her.

Abby had fought with the woman once… supposedly over Rex, but they both knew who it was really about. Abby had felt threatened by the woman. Abby thought she was losing Connor… he seemed to have given up on flirting with her, he seemed happy to be just friends, co-workers, flat mates. And that was when Abby first realized that she wanted more from Connor.

But Abby wasn't frightened now. She knew she could trust Connor, Abby knew Connor loved her.

"Yeah," Abby said with a smile.

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_

"Ooh," exclaimed Caroline "she's got her Daddy's eyes."

_-x-x-x-x-x-x_


End file.
